School community welcomes Cardinal DiNardo for feast of St. Thomas Aquinas Mass

The feast of St. Thomas Aquinas is annually the first all-school liturgy of the second semester. There was added significance this year, however, as Daniel Cardinal DiNardo celebrated the Mass in front of students, faculty and staff who packed into Cemo Auditorium.

Monday also marked the first day of Catholic Schools Week, and St. Thomas Aquinas is the patron saint of all Catholic schools, in addition to being the namesake of St. Thomas High School. The mass provided an excellent opportunity to reflect on the saint's important influence on the Church. In his homily, Cardinal DiNardo made sure to explain the talent that St. Thomas Aquinas used to help the Church.

"[St. Thomas] had an innate ability to harmonize faith and reason," DiNardo said.

He added that this ability is crucial in the success of a Catholic education.

The school felt honored to have the Archbishop celebrate mass. According to school president Fr. Kevin Storey, C.S.B, it denoted the importance of the event.

"Any time we have Cardinal DiNardo on campus, it is a special occasion," Storey said. "The Basilian Fathers have an excellent relationship with Cardinal DiNardo and we are honored that he was able to help us to celebrate the feast day of our patron saint."

At the conclusion of the roughly 1 hour event, Cardinal DiNardo made sure to emphasize his relationship with St. Thomas.

"I have a great regard for the Basilian Fathers here," DiNardo said. "I have no doubt that some of you here at St. Thomas will be the movers and shakers of tomorrow."